NGT seeks report from UP, Haryana, Punjab govts over steps to stop stubble burning

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday sought a report from the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab over the action taken to stop stubble burning in their respective states.

The NGT said that the report should be filed by November 15 which is also the next date of hearing.

A principal bench of the tribunal headed by Justice AK Goel also directed the three states to designate an officer at a village or cluster of village levels to monitor the situation and set accountability.

The bench observed that the burning of crops is still taking place and that the states have not been able to communicate with the farmers and educate them about the same.

Reprimanding the states, the NGT said that the state governments is accountable to people and they cannot get away after saying that it has done its part.

"If you have not succeeded then it is the failure of the state. Ultimately, the citizens are suffering," the tribunal observed.

Farmers residing in Haryana and Punjab have begun burning their crop residue in order to clear the fields of the summer harvest.

Smoke from these two states travels to Delhi, leading to a spike in the air pollution levels.

Today, the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was at 252, which falls in the 'poor' category, according to Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

Last month, NASA satellite images recorded several incidents of farm fires across Haryana and Punjab, indicating that the stubble burning season had started in the two states.

To combat the menace of air pollution, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi had announced the implementation of the odd-even road rationing scheme from November 4 to 15, stating that the smog from the nearby states due to the stubble burning is the major cause of pollution in the region.